An 


ADDRESS, 

TO  THE 

MEMBERS  OF  THE 

£@a£Ta$ufett$  Charitable  fire  Society, 

AT  THEIR 

ANNUAL  MEETING , 

MAY  28,  1802. 


by  ;glc!in  Kurnev 


Methinks  already  from  this  chemic  flame, 

I  iee  a  city  of  more  precious  mold ; 

Rich  as  the  town  which  givj^s  the  Indies  name, 

With  filver  pav’d,  anch’^l  divine  with  gold. 

Dryden’s  Annus  Mirabilis* 


His  life  was  gentle  ;  and  the  elements 
So  mix’d  in  him,  that  Nature  might  Hand  up 
And  fay  to  all  the  World,  THIS  WAS  A  MA|[ 


Shakes?2aR- 


corns  d&tttotu 


,  o  -  ^ 

1  o  0  3* 


# 


J 


Mott  of  SCijanttg* 

AT  a  meeting  of  the  Government  of  the  Majfaclufetts  Charitable  Fire 
Society,  on  Friday,  May  a8th,  1802—  Voted,  That  the  Vice  President, 
Josiah  Quincy,  Efq.  and  Mr.  James  White,  be  a  Committee  to  wait 
on  the  Honorable  John  Quincy  Adams,  Efq  to  return  him  the  thank* 
of  the  Government  for  his  Addrefs,  delivered  before  the  Society  this  day, 
and  requeft  of  him  a  Copy  for  the  prefs.  A  true  copy  from  the  Records, 

WILLIAM  ALLINE,  Rec'g  Secy. 

f . . . .  "  - ",  . . :  - -  - - - - - -• 


St 


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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2018  with  funding  from 
University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


¥ 


+ 


https  ://archive.org/detaii§/addresstomembersOOadam 


iylddve,jd,  Sfo9 


The  general  advantages  arifing  from  focial 
inftitutions  for  charitable  purpofes  ;  the  peculiar 
utility  of  that,  whofe  annual  meeting  for  difcourf- 
ing  on  thefe  topics,  and  for  recommending  them 
by  the  more  powerful  eloquence  of  example  this 
day  returns  $  the  dangers,  to  which  all  populous 
cities  are  liable  by  the  calamities  of  fire ;  the  ag¬ 
gravations  of  thefe  dangers,  to  which  we,  my  fel¬ 
low-citizens,  are  expofed,  from  the  periihahle  ma¬ 
terials  of  which  too  great  a  proportion  of  our  ha¬ 
bitations  is  conftructed ;  the  intrinfic  excellence 
of  that  eminently  chriftian  virtue,  Charity  ;  and 
the  important  benefits  of  its  exertions  in  thofe  ca¬ 
fes  of  diftrefs  for  the  relief  or  which,  your  fociety, 
gentlemen,  was  formed  :  Thefe  are  the  themes 
to  which  your  attention  is  naturally,  and  ufually 
called,  on  occafions  fimilar  to  the  prefent.  They 
have  been  treated  with  fuch  various  ingenuity  by 
thofe  members  of  the  fociety,  who  have  hereto¬ 
fore  addreffed  you  upon  thefe  anniverfaries,  that 
without  a  departure  from  the  fubjedts  themfelves. 


cfd  /  ^ 


6 


it  would  be  difficult  to  avoid  the  repetition  of 
many  arguments,  and  the  recurrence  to  many 
fades,  already  urged  upon  your  notice,  in  preced¬ 
ing  years.  Such  repetition,  however,  I  truft  will 
neither  furprize,  nor  difpleafe  you  :  For  if  origi¬ 
nality  of  thought  ipight  leave  on  your  minds  im- 
preffions  more  immediately  pleafing,  the  valuable 
objeds  of  your  inflitution  will  more  probably  be 
advanced  by  faying  over  again  with  the  fandion 
of  your  authority,  what  has  already  more  than 
once  been  faid  in  the  fame  manner. 

one  of  your  great  and  laudable  purpofes  is 
that  of  flimulating  genius,  to  ufeful  difeoveries 
tending  to  fecure  the  lives  and  property  of  our 
fellow  men  from  deftrudion  by  fire.  But  the 
difeoveries  of  genius  are  feldom  the  refult  of  ex¬ 
ternal  ftimulus  :  genius  is  of  an  eccentric  charad- 
er ;  of  a  reflive  temper  ;  difdainful  of  guidance 
or  controul,  he  refills  all  influence  from  without ; 
he  deferts  every  path  not  traced  by  himfelf.  Nor 
is  it  your  defign  to  afk  of  genius,  affiflance, 
which  even  he  is  incompetent  to  afford.  In  vain 
would  genius  hand  upon  the  beach  ar4d  forbid  the 
waves  of  qcean  to  approach  his  feet  :  In  vain 
would  he  bid  the  flowers  of  fpring  to  bloom  on 
Zembla’s  eternal  fnows  :  In  vain  would  he  com¬ 
mand  golden  haryefts  to  fmiie  on  Zara’s  fcorch- 
ing  fands  :  la  vain  would  he  refill  or  evade  the 
laws  of  nature,  and  pf  nature’s  God — All  his  at- 


7 

1 


tempts  to  render  permanent  what  they  have  pro¬ 
claimed  periflnble  are  but  the  memorials  of  his 
impotence.  Let  us  then  not  be  fanguine  to  in¬ 
dulge  hopes  of  obtaining  much  relief  from  the 
difeoveries  of  genius.  It  is  by  reiterating  with 
unwearied  hand,  the  exhibition  of  truths  long 
known  but  not  fulhciently  felt,  by  redoubling  line 
upon  line,  by  crowding  precept  upon  precept,  by 
wearing  down  the  garb  of  perluafton  to  the  very 
tatters  of  importunity,  that  your  affociation  will 
mod  effe&ually  contribute  to  arreft  the  progrefs 
of  defolation,  and  difarm  the  fury  of  the  element. 
If  we  fpurn  the  long  tried,  faithful  fhield  of  pru¬ 
dence,  with  what  authority  can  we  call  upon  ge¬ 
nius  for  new  devices  to  fupply  its  place  ?  Is  it  not 
like  the  Countryman  in  the  Fable,  who  appeals 
for  aid  to  Hercules,  when  he  fliould  apply  his  own 
Aioulder  to  the  wheel  ?  Alas  !  my  friends,  we  have 
here  lefs  occafion  for  the  inventive  faculties  of  ge¬ 
nius,  than  for  the  warning  voice  of  experience. 
We  want  lirmnefs  rather  than  fancy,  diferetion 
rather  than  difeovery,  ftubborn  perfeverance  in 
demonftrated  right,  rather  than  eager  fearch  of 
ingenious  novelty. 

it  was  the  higheft  boaft  of  Auguiius  Csefar,  in 
his  old  age,  that  he  had  found  the  Roman  me¬ 
tropolis  of  brick,  and  fliould  leave  it  of  marble. 
Fellow-town fmen  !  We  fliould  blufli  to  confefs 
that  our  ambition  extends  not  even  to  leave  our 


capital  where  Auguflus  began  with  his.  He  glo¬ 
ried  in  the  progrefs  of  improvements,  from  fafety 
to  ornament ;  and  can  you  hefitate  to  perfift  in 
advancing  from  danger  to  fafety  ?  The  motives 
which  impelled  him  to  fuperaddthe  polifh  of  mag¬ 
nificence  to  the  comfortable  dwellings  of  his  peo¬ 
ple,  were  contracted  and  felfifh,  in  comparifon 
with  thofe  which  ought  to  ftimulate  you.  He 
gave  fplendor  to  the  city  for  the  fake  of  its  re¬ 
flected  lufire  upon  his  own  fame.  Yourperfonal 
inducements  are  of  keener  edge  than  his.  It  is 
for  fafety,  not  for  glory,  for  life  itfelf,  or  at  leaft 
its  moil  eflential  comforts, *  and  not  for  the  bubble 
reputation  that  you  are  contending.  But  you 
have  the  further  incentive  of  the  moil  generous 
focial  paffions.  In  fecuring  yourfelves,  you  fecure 
your  fellow- citizens,  your  neighbours,  your 
friends  :  You  have  the  double  enjoyment  of  par¬ 
taking  the  benefit,  and  feeing,  it  fhared  by  others. 

/ 

You  are  aiming  not  only  to  enlarge  the  fphere  of 
your  own  gratifications,  but  to  add  high  value  to 
the  inheritance  of  pofterity.  This  fpur  will  be 
peculiarly  pointed  and  forcible  to  your  minds, 
when  you  confider  that  it  is  not  mere  property, 
but  the  ineftimable  bldling  of  fecurity  ;  not 
merely  more  durable  tenements,  but  more  ra- 
tional  peace  of  mind ;  not  merely  riches  of  Hate 

t 

and  brick,  which  like  other  riches  may  take  to 
themfelves  wings  and  fly  away,  but  the  riches  of 


i 


9 


quiet  and  contentment ;  the  infallible  increafe 
of  pofitive  happinefs,  by  the  removal  of  conftant 
danger,  arid  continual  anxiety  ;  the  CJ  fober  cer¬ 
tainty  of  waking  bids,”  that  you  are  adding  to 
the  birth-right  of  your  children.  It  is  this,  gen¬ 
tlemen,  in  which  con  fills  the  mod  important  ex¬ 
cellence  of  your  inftitution.  Your  immediate 
charities,  as  they  tend  to  the  relief  of  exifling 
nailery,  are  amiable  and  refpeftable ;  but  the  ef¬ 
fects  of  your  influence  to  fecure  the  efficacy  of 
thofe  falutary  laws  which  are  to  remove  the  prin¬ 
cipal  caufe  of  our  danger,  will  make  you  the  ben¬ 
efactors  of  pofterity,  and  entitle  you  to  the  grati¬ 
tude  of  ail  future  ao;es.  Fellow-citizens  !  You 
who  are  prefent  here  merely  as  ipectators,  and 
are  not  members  of  the  aflociation,is  this  exagge¬ 
rated  praife  ?  Bring  the  queftion  home  to  your 
own  hearts,  and  the  fociety  may  confidently  await 
your  decifion.  Open  your  Province-Law  book, 
arid  the  very  fifft  Statute  you  will  find  under  the 
Charter  of  William  and  Mary,  is  an  act  to  forbid 
the  erection  of  wooden  buildings  in  this  town, 
upon  the  penalty  of  having  them  demolifhed  as 
common  nuifances.  This  lav/,  paffed  in  the  year 
1692,  one  hundred  and  ten  years  ago,  refers  to 
the  exiftence,  and  the  violation  of  a  {till  more  an- 
tient  Statute  to  the  fame  effect,  enacted  under 
the  former  Charter.  The  preamble,  in  the  ener¬ 
getic,  though  fomewhat  antiquated  language  of 

B 


to 

that  day,  affigns  the  many  great  deflations  and  ruinsby 
fires,  which  wooden  buildings  had  occafioned,  as 
the  reafon  of  its  injunctions.  The  town  had  then 
exifted  about  fixty  years.  Neceffity  and  not 
choice  had  ufed  at  firft  fuch  materials  as  it  could 
find.  The  want  of  prefent  fhelter  had  been  more 
urgent  than  that  of  a  fafe  and  permanent  habita¬ 
tion  ;  and  who,  after  confidering  the  fituation  of 
our  venerable  forefathers  at  the  firft  fettlement  of 
the  country,  fliall  dare  to  arraign  them  becaufe 
they  provided  firft  for  the  moft  immediate  pref- 
fure,  and  left  the  reft  to  times  of  greater  cafe  and 
convenience,  or  to  the  lefs  burthened  induftry 
and  wifdom  of  their  dependents  ?  In  the  courfe 
of  fixty  years,  however,  experience  had  proved 
that  a  wooden  city  is  a  vaft  tinder-box,  kindling 
at  every  tranfient  fpark  ;  an  immenfc  mafs  of 
phial’ d  phofphorus,  blazing  out  by  mere  commu¬ 
nication  with  the  air.  It  had  been  the  fource  of 
fo  many  great  defolations  and  ruins,  that  the  Le- 
gifiature  once  and  again  endeavoured  to  correct 
the  mifchief  by  thefe  fharp  and  biting  Statutes. — 
Now,  fuppofe,  fellow-citizens,  that  inftead  of  that 
pufillanimous  indulgence,  which  fuffers  bad  habits 
to  prevail  over  good  laws,  the  Legiflature  had 
uniformly  and  ftremioufiy  maintained  that  refo- 
lution  and  perfeverance,  which  eventually  fecure 
the  triumph  of  good  laws  over  bad  habits  :  Sup- 
pofe  fuch  a  fociety  as  that  in  whofe  name  I  now 


II 


enjoy  the  privilege  of  addrefllng  you,  had  then 
exifted, to  promote  by  united  deeds  and  counfels,by 
public  annual  admonition,  by  the  weight  of  perfo- 
nal  influence, and  by  the  impulfe  of  perfonal  exam¬ 
ple,  the  full  accomplifhment  of  thefe  wife  regula¬ 
tions  ;  what  would  have  been  the  confequences 
to  you  ?  That  you,  and  your  fathers,  would  long 
fiiice  have  poflefled  habitations  of  durable  and  in- 
combuftible  materials  :  That,  of  flxteen  fires,  * 
“  pre-eminent  on  the  black  regifter  of  deftruc- 
tion,5’  which  glare  horrible  upon  your  annals  flnce 
the  date  of  the  law,  and  innumerable  others, 
deeply  calamitous,  though  flalhing  lefs  confpicu- 
ous  from  the  difmal  gloom,  probably  not  one 
would  have  happened  :  That  at  this  time,  you 
might  all,  with  fecure  and  eafy  minds,  nightly 
commit  yourfelves,  your  property,  the  children 
of  your  love,  the  wives  of  your  bofoms,  to  the 
protection  of  Providence,  without  carrying  into 
the  arms  of  flumber,  the  anxious  and  too  well 
grounded  fear,  that  before  your  eyes  fliall  open 
to  the  fucceeding  dawn,  all,  all  may  be  fwept 
away  by  the  relentlefs  fury  of  the  flames.  But 
no  fuch  fociety  was  extant :  The  fword  of  the 
law,  for  want  of  a  hand  to  wield  it,  idly  rufted  in 
its  fcabbard  ;  and  feven  years  afterwards  we  find 
the  Legiflature,  kill  bearing  teftimony,  againfl: 
the  pernicious  practice  of  building  in  wood,  but 

*  V.  Mr.  Welles’s  Addrefs  to  the  Society. 


mitigating  the  penalty  as  too  fevere,  becaufe  it 
had  been  fo  generally  fet  at  defiance. 

to  prefcribe  a  flight  punifhment  where  an 
heavy  one  has  proved  ineffectual,  is  not  in  this 
world  the  belt  expedient  to  enfure  fubmiflion  ; 
and  the  fifty  pounds  fine,  fubffituted  inftead  of 
the  demolition  of  the  building,  was  made  the 
mere  foot-ball  of  public  fcorn,  until  it  fank  into 
perfect  oblivion. 

An  ingenious  traveller  who  has  given  an  ac¬ 
count  of  Mount  iEtna,  remarks  that  although 
the  city  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  had  twice 
been  deftroyecl  by  eruptions  of  the  volcano,  yet 
the  inhabitants,  by  fome  Jirange  infatuation ,  could 
not  be  prevailed  upon  to  change  their  fituation, 
but  rebuilt  their  city  upon  the  fame  fpot  .— If  this 
conduct  of  the  Catanians  appeared  the  height  of 
abfurdity  to  Brydone,  what  would  he  have  faid 
of  a  people  who  fhould  perfift  in  retaining  and 
furnifhing  fuel  for  an  /Etna  within  their  walls  ; 
for  an  iEtna,  the  work  of  their  own  hands  ;  who 
after  buffering  more  from  fires,  than  the  neigh¬ 
bourhood  of  a  burning  mountain  ever  'inflicted, 
fhouid  cling  to  their  bubble  and  ftraw,  as  if  re¬ 
luctant  at  the  thoughts  of  parting  from  the  fre¬ 
quent  hght  of  hideous  ruin  and  combuftion. — 
At  leaf!  the  Catanians  might  plead  in  their  jufti- 
fication  that  attachment  tender  and  fublime,  that 
love  ffronger  than  death,  to  the  place  of  their 


T  "* 

1  J 


nativity,  which  vibrates  in  every  fibre  of  a  feel¬ 
ing  heart,  which  is  intermingled  in  every  affec¬ 
tion  of  a  virtuous  mind. — But  clapboards  and 
fliingles  !  What  myflei  ious  fafcinations  can  they 
poffets  ?  What  fympathetic  fenfibilities  can  they 
infpire  ?  Why  truly,  they  are  at  firff  coff  the 
cheapeft  materials— as  if  the  lofs  of  millions  in 
future  danger  were  no  counterbalance  to  the 
favmg  of  hundreds  in  prefent  expence  !  This 
computation  my  friends,  ought  never  to  have 
been  polled  from  the  wafte-book  of  folly. — This 
logic  ought  forever  to  moulder  on  the  (helves  of 
exploded  madnefs.  For  more  than  a  century 
and  an  half  no  individual  in  this  town,  has  been 
compelled  to  build  for  want  of  an  immediate 
fhelter  over  his  head,  and  nothing  lefs  can  excufe 
making  parfimony  your  architect,  and  devafta- 
tion  your  inheritance. 


Gentlemen,  I  have  dwelt  too  long  upon 
this  topic — The  fenfe  of  the  legiflature,  and  of 
the  town  have  again  recently  been  expreffed 
upon  the  fubj  ect — wholefome  laws  have  again 
been  enacted  to  relieve  us  gradually  from  our 
greateft  dangers  of  fire,  and  I  truft  the  fpirit  of 
the  town  and  the  firmnefs  and  vigilance  of'  its 
officers  will  carry  them  into  complete  execution. 
Years  ;  probably  many  years  muff  elapfe  before 
we  can  hope  to  obtain  the  practicable  portion  of 
fecurity — Our  tenements,  fuch  as  they  are,  muff 


Hand,  until  gradual  decay,  individual  confent,  or 
the  cruel  hand  of  calamity  Ihall  remove  them — 
it  is  a  confolation  however  that  you  are  advanc¬ 
ing  in  improvement,  and  you  have  the  flattering 
profpecl  that  your  children  will  be  lefs  expofed  to 
thefe  perils  than  yourfelves.  What  thefe  perils, 
are,  the  experience  of  the  laft  winter  has  depict¬ 
ed  in  colours  which  the  pencil  of  defcription  could 
only  dilute  and  weaken.  The  treafures  of  com¬ 
mercial  opulence,  the  Ihelter  of  honeft  induftry, 
the  folemn  temple  of  Almighty  God,  have  alter¬ 
nately  fallen  within  the  ruffian  grafp  of  infatiate 
ruin.  Would  to  heaven  this  were  the  worfl:  !— 
Daughters  of  the  land  !  If  virtuous  fenfibility 
could  affume  a  form  and  appear  in  perfon  here, 
Gie  would  only  be  the  JoveiieA  of  women  :  If  ten- 
dernefs  has  a  throne  of  glory  upon  earth,  it  is  in 
the  heart  of  a  mother — Lovely  women  !  tender 
mothers !  will  you  forgive  me,  for  renewing  the 
pang  which  thrill’d  in  your  bofoms,  when  the  de- 
ftroying  angel  laid  his  hand  upon  the  helplefs  in¬ 
nocence  of  infancy  ?— Yes  !  the  tear  that  Heals 
from  your  eyes  is  a  tear  of  compaffion  and  not  of 
bitternefs ;  it  is  the  pledge  that  henceforth  your 
irrefiflible  influence  will  unite  with  that  of  all 
our  public-fpirited  citizens,  to  redeem  the  future 
generations  from  this  impending  fwordof  deftruc- 
tion. 


if 

»T»  — . . 

AMERICANS  !  to  infill  long  upon  an  appeal  to 
your  liberality,  would  betray  an  unworthy  and 
unmerited  diftruil  of  your  characters  as  chriftians : 
you  know  that  alms  to  fullering  indigence  conffi- 
tute  one  of  the  moll  effential  attributes  of  that  uni- 
Verfal  charity,  to  inculcate  which  the  Saviour  of 
mankind  appeared  upon  earth.  Immortal  life  to 
all,  was  his  doctrine  :  Brotherly  love  to  all,  was 
his  precept.  Thefe  he  preach’d  in  word  ;  thefe 
he  fanction’d  by  miracles  ;  for  thefe  he  died  Upon 
the  crofs.  Well  might  thefe  at  his  birth,  be  an¬ 
nounced  to  the  world,  as  glad  tidings  of  great 
joy,  by  the  voice  of  an  angel !  Well  might  a  mul¬ 
titude  of  the  heavenly  hoft  then  proclaim  glory 
to  God  in  the  higheft,  for  this  promife  of  im¬ 
mortality — Peace  on  earth,  good  will  towards 
men,  by  this  new  bond  of  fraternal  affedlion  ! 
Search  all  the  llores  of  antient  wifdom  ;  ranfack 
all  the  chambers  of  modern  philofophy ;  and 
where  can  be  found  two  united  difcoveries,  tend¬ 
ing  to  promote  the  great  end  and  aim  of  human 
delires,  human  happinefs,  like  this  combination 
of  uni  verfal  harmony  here  below,  with  eternal 
and  boundlefs  felicity  hereafter  r 

It  has  been  urged  by  fome  of  the  adverfaries 
of  chriftian-ity,  that  its  tenets  are  too  refined  and 
exalted  for  the  imperfeTion  of  human  nature  : 
That  its  fublimeft  lelfons  “  play  round  the  head 
but  come  not  to  the  heart”  of  its  votaries  :  That 


1 6 


its  principles  nave  not  been  proved  by  the  prac¬ 
tice  of  its  adherents,  and  that  from  the  natural 
perverfencfs  of  mankind,  its  divine  benevolence 
has  been  the  fource  of  the  moll  atrocious  cruel¬ 
ties,  its  perfect  purity,  the  fountain  of  the  fouled 
pollutions.  To  this  objection,  the  general  an- 
fwer  is  not  difficult,  but  its  developement  belongs 
to  other  times  and  other  hands.  The  influence 
of  chriftianity  has  been  counteracted  but  never 
luppreffed  by  the  depravity  of  man.  Its  benign 
operation  though  incomplete  has  been  fignal, 
upon  whole  ages,  nations,  and  generations — Still 
more  inllrumental  has  it  been  at  all  times  in  foft- 
ening  and  improving  the  hearts  of  individuals. 
Even  in  thefe  days  of  fcepticifm  and  infidelity 
there  is  not  one  of  us,  my  friends,  but  could  de- 
fignate  by  name,  men,  whofe  virtues  are  purified 
and  whofe  general  practice  is  guided  by  the  gen¬ 
uine  principles  of  chriftianity. — Of  fuch  a  man, 
your  fociety,  gentlemen,  in  common  with  the 
multitude  of  your  fellow  citizens,  deeply  deplore 
the  recent  lofs. — An  account  of  the  life  and  cha¬ 
racter  of  that  excellent  perfon  has  already  been 
delivered  in  public  from  this  place,  by  the  play¬ 
mate  of  his  childhood,  the  companion  of  his 
youth,  the  intimate  friend  of  his  riper  years  ; 
and  after  that  tribute  of  affeclion  and  refpect,  no 
additional  information  will  be  expected  from  one. 
who,  though  fufficiently  favoured  with  his  ac- 


*7 


quaintance  and  friendfhip  to  have  been  imprefs’d 
profoundly  with  admiration  of  his  virtues  and 
talents,  in  a  comparative  view  can  only  fpeak  of 
him  with  the  voice  of  a  ftranger  :  Yet  it  would 
be  inexcufable  on  this  occaiion  to  leave  unnotic¬ 
ed  the  merits  of  him,  who  was  one  of  the  firft 
founders  of  your  inflitution  ;  by  whofe  death 
you  were  bereft  of  your  Prefident,  and  who  as  a 
man,  as  a  citizen, as  a  magiflrate,  as  a  name  of  high 
literary  eminence,  was  an  ornament  to  the  coun¬ 
try  which  gave  him  birth.  Of  his  domeftic  vir¬ 
tues,  of  his  petfonal  and  focial  accomplifhments, 
I  can  fay,  but  what  is  known  to  many  of  you, 
Gentlemen,  better  than  to  myfelf.  Are  you  an 
obferver  of  men,  and  has  it  been  vour  fortune  only 
once  in  your  life  to  behold  George  Richards 
Minot  ?  You  have  remarked  the  elegance  of  his 
perfon  and  the  peculiar  charm  of  expreftion  in 
his  countenance — Have  you  witnelfed  his  deport¬ 
ment  ?  It  bore  the  marks  of  graceful  fimplicity, 
of  dignified  modefty,  of  unalfuming  urbanity — 
Have  you  likened  to  his  converfation  ?  It  was  the 
voice  of  harmony  ;  „  it  was  the  index  to  a  pene¬ 
trating  and  accurate  mind  ;  it  was  the  echo  to  a 
warm  and  generous  heart.  Such  appeared  Mr. 
Minot,  on  a  firft  and  tranfient  acquaintance ; 
from  which  period,  to  that  of  the  moil  confiden¬ 
tial  intimacy,  our  own  knowledge,  and  the  un¬ 
varied  teilimony  of  indifputable  authority 

C 


i8 

concur  in  affirming  that  every  trace  of  pleafing 
firft  impreffion  was  proportionally  deepened ;  ev¬ 
ery  anticipation  of  fterling  worth  abundantly  ful¬ 
fill’d.  His  character,  as  the  citizen  of  a  free  coun¬ 
try,  was  not  lefs  exemplary.  The  profound- 
eft  hiftorian  of  antiquity  has  addueed  the  life  of 
Agricola,  as  an  extraordinary  proof  that  it  is 
poffible  to  be  a  great  and  good  man,  even  under 
the  defpotifm  of  the  worft  of  Princes.  Mr.  Mi¬ 
not’s  example  may  be  alledged  as  a  demonftra- 
tion  equally  rare  under  a  free  republic,  that  in 
times  of  the  greateft  diffenfion,  and  amidft  the 
moft  virulent  rancour  of  factions,  a  man  may  be 
great  and  good,  and  yet  acquire  and  preferve  the 
efteem  and  veneration  of  all.  In  the  bitternefs 
of  civil  contention,  he  enjoyed  the  joint  applaufe 
of  minds  the  moft  irreconcileable  to  each  other. 
Before  the  mufic  of  his  character  the  very  fcor- 
pions  drop’d  from  the  lafti  of  difcord  ;  the  very 
fnakes  of  fadion  liftened  and  funk  afleep  !  Yet 
did  he  not  purchafe  this  unanimous  approbation 
by  the  facrifice  of  any  principle  at  the  fhrine  of 
popularity.  From  that  double  tongued  candour 
which  fafhions  its  dodrines  to  its  company ; 
from  that  cowardice  in  the  garb  of  good  nature, 
which  affents  to  all  opinions  becaufe  it  dares  fup- 
port  none  ;  from  that  obfequious  egotifm,  ever 
ready  to  bow  before  the  idol  of  the  day,  to  make 
man  its  God,  and  hold  the  voice  of  mortality  for 
the  voice  of  heaven,  he  was  pure  as  the  cryftal 


J 


*9 


ftreams.  Perfonal  invectives  and  odious  imputa¬ 
tions  againft  political  adverfaries  he  knew  to  be 
feldom  neceffary  ;  he  knew  that  when  unneceffa- 
ry,  whether  exhibited  in  the  difgufting  deformi¬ 
ty  of  their  nakednefs,  or  tricked  out  in  the  gor¬ 
geous  decorations  of  philofophy,  whether  livid 
with  the  cadaverous  colours  of  their  natural  com¬ 
plexion  or  flaring  with  the  cofmetic  wafhes  of 
pretended  patriotifm,  they  are  ever  found  a- 
mong  the  profligate  proftitutes  of  party,  and 
not  among  the  veftal  virgins  of  truth.  He  dif- 
dained  to  ufe  them  :  but  as  to  all  the  great  quef- 
tions  upon  principle  which  are  at  the  bottom  of 
our  divifions,  there  was  no  more  concealment  or 
difguife  in  his  lips,  than  hefitation  or  wavering  in 
his  mind.  So  far  was  he  from  courting  the  pre¬ 
judices  or  compromiflng  with  the  claims  of  fac¬ 
tion,  that  he  publifhed  the  hiftory  of  the  infurrec- 
tions  in  this  commonwealth,  at  a  time  when  the 
paflions  which  had  produced  them,  were  ftill  vig¬ 
orous  and  flourifhing  :  and  although  nothing 
contributed  more  than  that  work  to  conflgn  the 
rebellion  it  recorded,  to  infamy,  none  of  it’s  nu¬ 
merous  abettors  ever  raifed  a  reclamation  againft 
the  veracity  of  the  hiftory,  or  the  worth  of  the 
hiftorian. 

the  community  to  which  fuch  a  man  as  this 
belongs,  confer  honor  upon  themfelves  by  every 
token  of  diftinftion  they  beftow  upon  him.  Mr. 


/ 


20 


Minot  was  fuccefiively  employed  in  various  offi¬ 
ces  of  trull  and  of  honor.  To  vice  a  merciful 
but  inflexible  judge;  to  misfortune  a  compaf- 
fionate  friend  ;  to  the  widow,  a  protector  of  her 
rights  ;  to' the  orphan,  one  in  place  of  a  father  : 
in  every  ftation  which  the  voice  of  his  country  cal¬ 
led  him  alternately  to  fill,  he  difplayed  that  indi¬ 
vidual  endowment  of  the  mind  and  that  peculiar 
virtue  of  the  heart,  which  was  mod  effential  to 
the  ufeful  exercife  of  its  functions.  During  the 
latter  period  of  his  life,  his  occupations  were 
multiplied  beyond  the  performance  of  an  ordina¬ 
ry  man.  He  not  only  accomplifhed  them  all  with 
facility,  but  found  hours  of  leifure  for  his  favour¬ 
ite  ftudious  purfuits,  and  hours  of  relaxation  for 
the  enjoyments  of  focial  intercourfe  and  convi¬ 
vial  feftivity.  —  V  f 

His  attainments  in  literature  outflripp’d  the 
flow  advance  of  years ;  in  the  bloom  of  youth 
he  was  affociated  to  the  American  Academy  of 
Arts  and  Sciences,  and  the  Hifcorical  Society  re¬ 
cognize  in  him  one  of  their  founders.  Of  his  oc- 
cafional  performances,  it  may  be  faid  without  dis¬ 
paragement  to  others,  that  there  is  little  difficulty 
in  diflinguifhing  their  charatleriflic  excellence. 
His  Oration  on  the  5th  of  March ;  his  Eulogy 
on  the  firfl  of  American  patriots  and  heroes,  and 
his  addrefs  to  your  fociety,  from  the  fpot  whence 
this  feeble  tribute  to  his  memory  is  now  offered, 
deferve  a  particular  enumeration  among  the  pro- 


21 


duCtions  of  his  mind.  He  had  an  ardent  and  In- 
extinguifhable  thirft  of  general  knowledge  ;  but 
the  department  of  hiftory  was  that  towards  which 
fome  cafual  incident,  of  thofe  which  are  wont  to 
point  the  magnet  of  genius  to  its  polar  ftar,  had 
originally  turned  the  bias  of  his  preference.  •  The 
refult  of  his  labours  in  this  field,  is  chiefly  before 
the  public,  and  is  duly  appreciated  by  all  who 
deem  any  fuch  labours  objects  of  regard.  As  an 
hiftorian,  authenticity,  impartiality,  penetration 
and  fagacity, are  obvious  characters  of  his  writings. 
His  narrative  is  perfpicuous  ;  his  arrangement 
well  delineated  :  he  traces  events  to  their  caufes, 
with  difcriminating  eye,  and  though  fparing  of 
his  own  reflections  upon  their  iffue,  he  fkilfully 
collects  and  concentrates  their  rays  upon  the 
mind  of  his  reader.  He  makes  no  oflentatious 
difplay  of  his  moral  and  intellectual  wealth,  but 
gives  you  the  key  to  the  chambers  containing 
them  :  It  is  but  opening  the  door,  and  treafures 
in  profufion  are  before  you.  His  feleCtion  of  fub- 
jeCts  was  dictated  by  a  vigorous  judgment,  and  a 
well  meditated  fenfe  of  utility.  The  infurreCtions 
of  the  year  1786,  form  one  of  the  moft  inftruCtivc 
periods  in  the  hiftory  of  our  country.  Occafions 
like  that,  elicit  and  difplay  many  of  the  virtues 
and  vices,  accomplifliments  and  defeCts  of  public 
bodies  and  private  individuals,  of  conftitutions 
and  conflituted  authorities,  which  remain  latent 
in  times  of  cooler  compofure.  The  younger  part 


of  our  fellow-citizens  efpecially,  will  find  them- 
ielves  amply  rewarded  for  any  time  and  medita¬ 
tion  beftowed  upon  that  work.  It  will  giye  them 
a  deeper  infight  into  the  character  of  this  people, 
a  more  extenfive  view  of  our  focial  organization, 
and  its  internal  operations  at  critical  times,  than 
they  could  obtain  by  years  of  perfonal  obferva- 
tion.  The  progrefs  of  colliflons  in  public  fenti- 
ment,  until  they  kindle  into  civil  war,  in  a  coun¬ 
try  where  public  fentiment  is  the  final  earthly  ar¬ 
biter  of  all  public  meafures,  and  where  the  efficacy 
of  obedience  is  in  ordinary  times  fecured  by  the 
mildnefs  of  authority,  there  reveals  a  precious 
mine  to  the  fearch  of  contemplation.  There  a 
citizen  of  Maffachufetts  may  learn  not  to  defpair 
of  public  virtue,  even  when  apparently  extin- 
guifhed  by  the  violence  of  party,  and  the  preffure 
of  dihrefs.  There  an  American  may  be  inform¬ 
ed  that  our  Conftitutions  have  within  them  a 
principle  of  felf-prefer vation ,  beyond  the  letter  of 
the  law,  which  can  redeem  them  from  diffolution 
even  when  apparently  fuffocated  by  the  over¬ 
whelming  torrents  of  faction. 

the  revolution  which  feparated  thefe  States 
from  their  connection  as  Colonies  with  Great 
Britain,  and  their  fubfequent  confederation,  have 
taken  from  our  local  hiftory  fome  of  its  magni¬ 
tude  and  moment.  Thefe  events  have  expanded 
the  circle,  and  increafed  the  multitude  of  our  ci- 


23 


vil  relations.  In  forming  the  idea  of  our  coun¬ 
try,  we  are  no  longer  bounded  by  the  fcanty  di- 
mentions  Gf  a  petty  province.  The  largeft  por¬ 
tion  of  this  Continent  is  united  under  a  focial 
compact,  which  makes  its  inhabitants  equal  fel¬ 
low-citizens  of  one  great  and  growing  empire. 
To  preferve,  to  ftrengthen,  to  perpetuate  this 
union,  is  the  nrft  political  duty,  as  it  ought  to  be 
the  higheft  glory  of  every  American.  Since  its 
eftablifhment  our  hillory  has  become  the  hiftory 
of  the  nation :  and  had  it  been  confident  with 
the  wife  decrees  of  Providence  to  prolong  the  life 
of  Mr.  Minot,  we  might  have  hoped  that  the 
period  which  came  within  the  compafs  of  his  oh- 
fervation,  would  have  been  tranfmitted  to  future 
times,  with  that  fimplicity  and  purity  of  ftyle  and 
manner,  that  zeal  for  the  civil  and  religious  liber¬ 
ties  of  man,  that  inftinctive  and  reflected  love  of 
virtue  and  abhorrence  of  vice,  which  flowed  fpon- 
taneoufly  from  his  pen.  ,  But  before  he  could 
commence  upon  this  arduous  talk,  there  was  a 
previous  chafm  in  our  hiftory  to  be  filled.  It  was 
a  period  of  lefs  general  interefl  than  thofe  which 
preceded  and  followed  it ;  lefs  propitious  there¬ 
fore  to  the  talents  and  reputation  of  its  hifiorian* 
But  Mr.  Minot’s  primary  coniideration  was  the 
public  utility,  and  not  his  own  perfonal  fame.— 
It  was  a  labour  inadequate  indeed  to  his  powers* 
but  neceflary  to  connect  the  chain  of  our  annals ; 
andunlefs  undertaken  by  him,  it  might  have  re- 


mained  unaccomplilhed,  Of  this  work,  one  vo¬ 
lume  is  in  pofieflion  of  the  public.  He  was  juft 
doling  the  fecond,  when  the  pen  was  wrefted 
from  his  hand,  by  that  king  of  terrors,  whom 
the  moft  elevated  human  capacity  and  the  moft 
perfect  human  virtues  are  alike  impotent  to  refill. 

my  countrymen  !  When  memory  turns  a  re- 
trofpeclive  eye  upon  the  days  that  are  paft,  how 
Ihort  is  the  fpace,  before  fhe  meets  the  venerable 
forms  of  a  Clarke,  a  Belknap,  and  a  Minot  ! 
When  fhe  returns  and  fearches  with  anxious 
look,  once  more  to  find  them  in  the  ranks,  among 
the  living  friends  of  fcience,  of  virtue  and  of 
man,  fhe  feeks  in  vain  !  They  are  here  no  more'! 
Where  can  we  look  for  fupport  under  fuch  reite¬ 
rated  and  heavy  blows,  but  to  the  pillars  of  ftoic 
fortitude  ?  Where  can  we  hope  for  comfort  un¬ 
der  fuch  great  and  multiplied  bereavements,  but 
in  the  arms  of  chriftian  refignation  ?  It  is  not  for 
man  to  queftion  or  fcrutinize  the  difpenfations  of 
his  Maker.  Unavailing  lamentation  is  inconfift- 
ent  with  the  dignity  of  our  nature  :  It  is  incom¬ 
patible  with  the  duties  of  our  religion. — Sainted 
fpirits  of  our  ahlent  friends  ! — If  from  the  abodes 
of  bleftednefs,  the  fpirits  of  the  juft,  made  perfect, 
are  permitted  to  look  down  upon  this  dreary 
fcene  of  human  life,  and  to  influence  the  conduct 
of  their  former  partners  of  mortality,  call  us  away 
from  the  contemplation  of  our  lofs,  by  alluring  us 
to  the  imitation  of  your  virtues  !  As  the  Grecian 


J-L~ 

Iculptor  propofedby  the  duffel  to  convert  Mount 
Athos  into  the  ftatue  of  a  mortal  hero,  may  the 
holy  mountain  of  our  nation  and  country  bear 
throughout  its  extent  the  lineaments  of  your  im¬ 
mortal  minds!  If  we  have  not  yet  learnt  to  preferve 
the  features  and  honour  the  memory  of  departed 
excellence  in  monumental  marble,  may  your  ex¬ 
ample  by  its  operation  upon  the  hearts  of  the  ri- 
fing  generation,  erect  the  fabric  of  your  fame  on 
a  bails  flronger  than  of  earth  ;  on  foundations 
more  durable  than  the  everlafling  hills  !  May  we 
learn  of  you  to  combine  in  happy  union,  iincere 
devotion  with  enlightened  philofophy  ;  the  fervid 
love  of  freedom  with  the  chaflened  difcipline  of 
good  order  ;  true  chriftian  meeknefs  of  fpirit 
"  with  intrepid  boldnefs  in  the  caufe  of  truth  ;  mild 
companion  for  the  guilty  with  inflexible  cppofi- 
tion  to  guilt  ;  glowing  patriotifm  with  univerfal 
philanthropy  !  So  iliall  fome  emanations  of  your 
exalted  chara&ers  remain  to  lateft  time  on  earth  ! 
So  fhall  the  kindly  radiance  of  your  memory  here, 
point  the  way  to  your  cloucllefs  effulgence  in  the 
.  flues  ! 


✓ 


<Soforaimcnc  of  tfje  gwietp, 

l802. 


ARNOLD  WELLES,  Jun.  Efq.  Prefidcnt, 

Hon.  WILLIAM  TUDOR,  Efq.  Vice-Prefident. 

Rev.  Mr.  JAMES  FREEMAN,  Correfponding  Secretary . 
WILLIAM  ALLINE,  Efq.  Recording  Secretary . 

Mr.  DAVID  WEST,  Treafurer. 


Rev.  Samuel  Stillman ,  D.  D. 
Rev .  'John  Eliot ,  D.  D. 

JVLr.  James  White, 

Mr.  Shubael  Belli 


TRUSTEES. 

Dr.  JoJh  ita  Thomas , 

Mr.  Thomas  K.  Jones, 
JoJiah  Quincy,  Efq. 
Mr.  Jofeph  Callender. 


STATE  OF  THE  FUNDS,  MAY  *8,  1802,  Viz. 


a8i  Shares  in  the  Union  Bank,  at  8  dollars,  -  -  2248  CO 

MalFachufetts  State  Note,  -  --  --  --  33333 

Six  Per  Cent  Stock,  -  --  --  --  --  2000  00 

Eight  Per  Cent  Stock,  -  - . 1000  00 

Caih,  -  --  --  --  --  --  --  -  14  43 


Dollars ,  S595  7  6 


DONATIONS  SINCE  THE  LAST  PUBLICATION. 


Thomas  Harris,  -  - 

Ephraim  Hutchinfon, 
Mary  Emery,  -  - 

Mary  Bethel,  -  - 

Jofeph  Churchill, 
Samuel  Alh,  -  -  - 

Michael  Lynch,  -  - 

-  -  -  30  Dlls. 

-  -  -  20 

-  -  -  20 

.  -  --  10 

-  -  -  50 

-  50 

-  -  -  15 

Dollars  19  5 

